Pentucket

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

West Newbury, Massachusetts - 6 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Pentucket #190 of 362 districts in Massachusetts (state average 38). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $19,555 per pupil, Pentucket ranks #276 of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending (Massachusetts districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,261
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$19,555
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Pentucket operates 6 public schools serving 2,261 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Massachusetts. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Essex County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,555 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 396 Massachusetts districts by per-pupil spending. See how Massachusetts compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 44.1% local, 51.0% state, and 4.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 37/100, ranked #190 of 362 in Massachusetts against a state average of 38, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (15 AP courses district-wide), a 221.6:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 18.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 87.8% White, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Elmer S Bagnall, with a diversity index of 27.4/100.

Its largest campus is Pentucket Regional Sr High, enrolling 578 students (26% of the district's total enrollment).

Pentucket Regional Sr High accounts for 25.6% of all Pentucket student enrollment

That concentration means Pentucket-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Pentucket school enrollment varies 2.7× across entities

Pentucket school enrollment ranges from 217 students (lowest) to 578 students (highest), a spread of 361 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Pentucket student-counselor ratio is 222:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Pentucket chronic absenteeism rate is 18.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Pentucket is typically wider than the Pentucket-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

4.9%
Federal
51.0%
State
44.1%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
190 / 362
State Rank
38
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 6 schools in Pentucket.

White 87.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 22.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Pentucket's schools, below the Massachusetts average of 47.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Elmer S Bagnall 27.4
  2. 2 Dr Frederick N Sweetsir 26.4
  3. 3 Helen R Donaghue School 22.0
  4. 4 Pentucket Regional Sr High 21.5
  5. 5 Pentucket Regional Middle 18.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
221.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Pentucket

School Enrollment
Pentucket Regional Sr High
578
Elmer S Bagnall
519
Pentucket Regional Middle
335
Dr John C Page School
327
Helen R Donaghue School
262
Dr Frederick N Sweetsir
217

How Pentucket Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Massachusetts districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Triton Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Ludlow Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Brooke Charter School (District) Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Lynnfield Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Pentucket's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Massachusetts

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Boston
46,367 students · 109 schools · $34,835/pupil
Compare vs Pentucket →
Worcester
24,707 students · 46 schools · $20,642/pupil
Compare vs Pentucket →
Springfield
23,873 students · 66 schools · $23,067/pupil
Compare vs Pentucket →
Lynn
15,556 students · 27 schools · $19,669/pupil
Compare vs Pentucket →
Brockton
14,999 students · 24 schools · $21,147/pupil
Compare vs Pentucket →

Compare Pentucket

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Boston →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Pentucket?

Pentucket has 6 schools, including 1 high, 3 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,261 students.

How much does Pentucket spend per student?

Pentucket spends $19,555 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #190 in Massachusetts.

What is the demographic composition of Pentucket?

Pentucket students are 87.8% White, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Pentucket?

Pentucket has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #190 out of 362 districts in Massachusetts.